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Motorsport boss Max Mosley has been advised not to travel to this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix in the wake of allegations about his private life.
Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone told the Times the Bahraini royal family "wouldn't like" the president of governing body the FIA to attend.
"He would take all the ink away from the race and put it on something which is nobody else's business," he said.
An FIA spokesman Mosley was meeting his lawyers and that it could not comment.
It is understood Mosley had been planning to attend this weekend's race before the scandal broke.
The News of the World carried a report on Sunday claiming Mosley had taken part in a "nazi-style orgy in a torture dungeon".
The 67-year-old, the son of former British Union of Fascists leader Oswald Mosley, has been FIA president since 1993.
Mosley, who is not an employee of the FIA and whose role is unpaid, has been a prominent figure in European politics, pushing through a series of road-safety measures, and many of the world's leading car manufacturers are involved in F1.
A representative for the road-car manufacturers involved in F1 said they had no comment at this stage.
F1 teams have no direct influence on Mosley's position - he is elected by the FIA membership of national automobile clubs and motorsport bodies and his latest four-year term does not expire until October 2009.
The body that can bring direct pressure on to Mosley is the FIA senate, which is made up of senior representatives of the national automobile and sporting clubs.
Below that are two FIA world councils, one representing the automotive industry, and one from the sporting side.
A spokeswoman for the Royal Automobile Club, Britain's representative on the world council, said the organisation had no comment.
"These are allegations only and we wouldn't comment on rumour and speculation - and certainly not on people's private lives," she said.
BBC 5 Live motor racing commentator David Croft said he understood the world council had given Mosley its full backing and members had offered their personal support.
I've never liked the guy. It doesn't affect F1 as Bernie has said, but hopefully his wife will leave him. Dirty bastard.